Wisewool™ is powered by fifth-generation family stewards of strong wool at every stage. We take a meticulous approach to our supply chain, from ethical farming, grading and scouring, to processing and product delivery with full traceability and unmatched fibre integrity.

Angus Hansen checking inbound lots into the wool shed.

Key Takeaways

Since 1894, our Fifth‑generation, family‑led stewardship at each stage ensures consistency and trust across the supply chain.
Traceability back to farms is guaranteed, preventing contamination and maintaining quality.
Ethical, NZ Farm Assurance‑compliant practices (NZFAP) underpin fibre integrity and sustainability.
Precision grading, mindful, environmentally sound, scouring and in‑house processing preserve wool’s natural attributes.
Final products and integration reflect unmatched attention to detail, delivering premium results.

Who oversees the WISEWOOL™ Supply Chain?

Angus Hansen is a fifth-generation member of the family and is in charge of operations, including the supply chain and traceability program.

Our People

THE Wisewool™ Supply Chain?

1. Farms

The supply chain starts with our deep-rooted relationships with over 250 local farms built on relationships passed through generations. This continuity offers both trust and precise control at every step and ensures a consistent supply. Sheep in Gisborne thrive on fertile hill country with a mild climate that grows premium-grade strong wool.

Wisewool™ comes exclusively from 250 farms near Gisborne, New Zealand

Putting it in perspective:

1,125,000

That's a big number, and it’s the estimated number of sheep on the 250 farms at an average farm size of 1,500 hectares (3,707 acres) per farm.

What happens at the beginning?

Wisewool™ collects strong wool from over 250 Gisborne farms. Many of these farms are intergenerational farming families with whom we have worked for over 100 years.
Generations of selective breeding produce strong wool that’s bright in colour, resilient and consistently long in staple length.
Sheep are raised under rigorous ethical standards, audited under the NZ Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP). This ensures compliance with the ‘Five Freedoms’:

Freedom from pain, injury and disease
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom to express normal behaviour

Grazing is pasture‑based, with farmers using regenerative methods to maintain soil health, which yields stronger and more resilient fibre.
The farmer’s familial stewardship extends to seed stock selection, land management and environment-friendly care to ensure consistent fleece performance.
Sheep are shorn biannually to ensure consistent fibre length and animal welfare.

“By taking the wool off of them, it allows the sheep to have better mobility, reduces infection, controls overheating and keeps the sheep cleaner.”

— Henry Hansen

2. Grading

How does Wisewool™ ensure precise wool grading?

Every wool lot is sorted by fourth and fifth-generation family members and their wider team.
Greasy Wool undergoes initial inspection in our farmers’ wool sheds. Expert wool classers (often family-trained) assess staple strength, length, colour and vegetable matter.
On arrival at our Wool Store, wool is sorted into batches using bale core sampling and grab sampling to determine characteristics such as staple length, strength, vegetable matter content and colour. These findings are recorded digitally and are traced back to individual farms.
Lab: Each sample obtained is sent to the lab to be analysed for quality, and only the best quality meets Wisewool™ standards.

3. Scouring

How is the wool's natural integrity maintained?

Wisewool™ collaborates with the largest and most sustainable wool scour in the world, based in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, for washing of fibre (scouring).
Wisewool™ mindfully washes and scours all wool fibre using gentle and eco‑safe detergents. This low-impact process avoids the use of harsh chemicals that can weaken wool, allowing it to retain its fibre strength and some natural lanolin, while effectively removing dirt, suint, and vegetable matter.
Double-scouring: Double-scouring involves washing the wool twice in separate cycles, reducing its natural odour and leaving it cleaner and better suited for premium products, while still retaining beneficial lanolin.

The wool is then put into a high-density (HD) bale, each weighing roughly 420Kg. Each bale is labelled and batch‑tracked before onward processing.

4. Processing

What happens at the Wisewool™ factory?

The high-density bales are processed in the Wiswool™ factory in New Zealand to produce two premium ingredient products: WiseFill™ and WiseLayer™.

In-house processing ensures that controlled fibre orientation and structural integrity are maintained in the finished products. This process involves;

Opening: Loosens and fluffs the fibres after washing.
Carding: Combs and aligns fibres into a uniform sheet.
Needle-punching: Uses barbed needles to lock fibres into a stable sheet like WiseLayer™.
Knop making: Forms wool fibres into small, springy balls used as a stuffing filling like WiseFill™.

Quality Assurance

WiseLayer™ sampling: A square is cut from the centre of the end of a roll to check the weight and density in our needle-punched WiseLayer™ rolls.
WiseFill™ sampling: Tested for springiness and fibre accuracy.

Packaging

Bagging
Labelling for easy identification and tracability

Vacuum Packing for cleanliness and uniformity through the supply chain

5. Products

What end-products emerge?

WiseLayer™ is a premium, needle-punched 100% wool batting roll, naturally fire-resistant, moisture-regulating and durable, delivering high-performance comfort and sustainability in one layer.
WiseFill™ is Wisewool’s 100% wool loose fill made from springy, resilient wool knops and is ideal for pillows, cushions, upholstery, and padded products. These naturally crimped wool balls offer breathable loft, structural support, and long-lasting comfort without synthetic fillers.
All products carry traceability labels linking back to the farm and batch, ensuring customers have access to full origin information.

What Makes Wisewool™ the Best in the World

Fifth‑generation expertise ensures continuity, dedication, and inherited skill at each step (since 1894).
Traceability from farm to final product guarantees a premium fibre.
Ethical certification (NZ Farm Assurance) ensures animal welfare and sustainable land use.
Low‑impact scouring preserves wool's natural attributes, namely fibre strength, thermoregulation and compressional durability.
Proactive integrations ensure a family member will respond at every step of the way.
Consistent Supply chain - With over 131 years of relationships—spanning up to five generations—our deep connections with over 250 trusted farmers ensure a consistent, reliable supply of premium, strong wool.

Final Thoughts

Wisewool™ ensures every stage, from farm to final product, is handled with precision, care and transparency. The Wisewool™ supply chain makes us a global benchmark in strong wool, offering unmatched product quality, ethical standards and traceability. Choose Wisewool™ to deliver premium, strong wool products that your customers can truly trust.

Contact us to find out how Wisewool™ can help you.

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